Running a Men Versus Women's Tour

Being the TD of a Men's Tour is completely different than running a Ladies Tour.

Men have more testosterone and don't back down.  They speak up more.  They bark more.  They defend themselves more.  They are more vocal.

When they get upset, they don't bite their tongue.  They speak UP.

I'm not trying to generalize and I know not all men are like this, but competition brings out a nasty side of men sometimes.  Mostly from the players who play pool for a living and need the dough.  But, their opponents don't back down from their venom and tongue lashing. 

The dynamics of running a men's tour versus a women's tour is quite eye opening and VERY different.

I expressed my shock to a friend and he replied,

"You're getting your feet wet with men, you've been playing and help running the women's tour. Men pool players are a different breed. In women's tour they don't have the ego's and smart ass attitudes.

Your doing a good job!"

He hit the nail on the head, I think! 

I'm up for the task and can handle any arguments and verbal attacks that may arise again, but it wont be all smooth peaches and creams for the Tourney Directors, lol.  But, if this is what needs to be dealt with to bring a Tour to the DFW area, then I'm ready!

My dream has always been to bring a Tour to the area to help pool players compete, grow/learn from, and make some money at the same time.  Hiccups and dealing with personalities is just part of the game.  :)

Taking Breaks

I am not going to go over the many detailed reasons why it's necessary to take breaks during matches or WHY at a certain point in a match you should take a break, instead, I'm going to share I'm not the best person to give advice about breaks, lol.

If I had to break down Taking Breaks, these are the 3 main reasons:

• You need to go to the bathroom or smoke a cigarette, Or
• You are losing and need to regroup, Or
• Your opponent is on a good dash, and you need to slow them down.

However, I only do the first one, most of the time (don't follow my lead).

You see, just as I have had bad experiences in the past with cheesing the 9ball, I had a very bad experience once when I took a break.

I was playing in a Ladies Tournament in Florida in the late 90s against a real good player.  I was up in the match and she decided to take a break to slow down my momentum and to help her regain hers.

I sat in my chair as she went to the bathroom for her self-pep talk, and was just sitting there, minding my own business.

A friend came up to me and was very adamant with me, "You need to take a break too!  She's trying to get under your skin, and you need to also take a break and get away from the table."

"Oh, okay," I said as I walked away, not sure where to walk to or what to do. 

And of course all I could think of was how well I was playing, that I was ahead, while also thinking about what this friend said.  Which of course was the very wrong thing to do.  Up until that point, I had never really thought people took breaks for strategy.

She came back, shooting lights out and I fell into her trap and faltered like a turtle hiding in its own shell and ended up losing the match.

I can't say for certain if I lost focus because *I* also took a break, Or if it was my friends' comments that got me, Or, maybe her taking a break iced me. 

Either way, now I don't like to take breaks.

I am not a stupid person and so I know that taking breaks during certain critical times during matches is crucial, but I just don't take break unless I really have to use the bathroom or I need to step outside to shout in frustration.

I see people who are way down in matches and take a break.  I also see people who are missing shots and take a break.  Or the player who recognizes that it would ice their opponent if a break is taken.

There are two players that do this perfectly on the OB Cues Ladies Tour.  Their breaks are calculating and timed well to either give them a boost or ice their opponent.  It really is kind of a beautiful thing to witness, at the same time a tactic imo.  But, it's not illegal.  And the NFL ices the kicker all the time, so it is fairly common.

My problem is when they do it to me, I know what they are trying to do.  And THAT gets to me. 

I need to look at breaks as a good thing, not a "trap" lol. 

I also would like to recognize more when I should take breaks.  Sometimes I do, but other times I just fight on.

Breaks are tied directly to being aware of what is going on in your match. 

Pool Tourney Virgins

This past weekend, as I mentioned, was the Season Opener of the OB Cues Ladies Tour.  Four (4) of my friends who had never played in one of their stops before, played! 

Sometimes, the biggest step is stepping through the door to a pool room of a big women's tourney and actually playing in it.  It's really not easy at all to do!

There is SO much pressure for new players.  Mostly because the whole experience is very new and there are a lot of unknowns.  And there are really talented players all around them, they notice, as they scope out the competition and absorb the atmosphere.  Plus, nerves, stress, desires, unfamiliarity, etc., all the while they are trying to play pool and compete!

I am SO proud of my friends this weekend who played in their first-ever OB Cues Ladies Tourney - Angelina Dean, Lyn Jones, Ileana Ford, and Jennifer Dooley!

I was also worried for them, tho.  While the OB Cues Ladies Tour is a very friendly, fun tour, it also has some very strong players on the tour.  That in itself can be intimidating and discouraging.

It takes a very passionate, dedicate player to want to come back and do it again.

And....all 4 ladies had such a great time, memorable experience, learned a lot, and enjoyed the day, that each one of them have already stated they will play again - and can't wait to play again!  I am SO excited!

As my friend Courtney said, (who just recently joined the Tour), "I have been putting off tourney's for years, and now I can't stop going!!   And I won't stop....I learn so much from playing such great players and I am not afraid to go out and take a beat down anymore!"

I do wish my friends would have been able to play in the Second Chance event on Sunday, though.  It's even more laid back than the Main Event, and most of the top players are still in the main tourney and can't play in the Second Chance event.  The Second Chance tourney is named just that for that reason (then again, at one point we called it "The Cry Baby Tourney," lmao).  But, it's another fantastic avenue to compete against women players.  With $100 added, it can be lucrative, too!

I have already heard their calendars are marked for the next OB Cues Ladies event and they are very anxious to play.  :)

I cannot express enough how very PROUD I am of these Ladies!!!

And if anyone else wants to be a virgin on the Tour, please let me know so I can try and convince you to play.  :)

As I keep telling anyone and everyone who will listen, the BEST way to improve your game and to get better at competing is to play in more tournaments.  And the OB Cues Ladies Tour is a perfect opportunity no one should miss out on.